HS Counter Service

ABC Commissary Review at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how ABC Commissary stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Burgers, Fried Fish, Asian Salad, Chicken Curry

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $6-7

Unique Items: Chicken Curry.

Advantages: It’s probably open.   It’s air-conditioned.  There’s plenty of seating.  Portions are on the larger side.  The Asian salad is decent.

Disadvantages: The food is low quality and often served cold.  Little effort is put into the preparation.  The menu is uninspired and severely limited.  They removed the Cuban sandwich and replaced it with something even worse.  The noodle bowls are long gone.

Value: Poor.  The slightly lower prices don’t make up for the huge gap in food quality and preparation.

Reputation: ABC Commissary is one of the worst quick service locations at Disney World and should be avoided at all costs.  Unfortunately, it may also be the only counter service open after around 6pm.  Make sure to check the operating hours of the other counter services if you don’t want to get stuck with the ABC.  If you must dine here, I would recommend the Asian salad, as it is the most edible of the entrées and should feel a bit healthier than fried fish that tastes like plastic or a cold hamburger.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 6th out of 6

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Backlot Express Quick Service Review at Disney World

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how Backlot Express stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Burgers, sandwiches, salads, chicken nuggets

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $7-9

Unique Items: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Advantages: Plenty of seating outside, convenient location, quick lines, and free drink refills.  The grilled vegetable sandwich is a better vegetarian option than most.  The grilled turkey sandwich is a favorite also.

Disadvantages: Limited indoor seating, no fixings bar for burgers and sandwiches, and limited children’s menu (nuggets or sloppy joe).  The salad is pre-dressed.

Value: Average.  This is standard pricing, portion size, and menu for Disney counter service.

Reputation: Backlot is one of the better counter service choices at the Hollywood Studios and superior to the ABC Commissary in every way.  No matter how bad you think your meal at Backlot is, you can be sure it would be worse at ABC.  The veggie sandwich is a nice way to mix things up and probably the best item on the menu.  Overall, this is your basic Disney quick service spot, but they do it a little better than most other places.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 5th out of 6

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Sunset Ranch Market Review at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how Sunset Ranch stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Burgers, sandwiches, pizza, salads, barbecue ribs and brisket

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $6-14

Unique Items: The Sunset Ranch Market feels like a food court of sorts because there are several different establishments to choose from with one shared seating area.

Advantages: There should be something for everyone, both in terms of price and variety.  The menu at Fairfax Fare has expanded to include a number of barbecue options and their salad is one of the best counter service salads at Disney.  The Hot Italian Deli Sandwich at Catalina Eddie’s is also a favorite.  Your group can all get what they want and sit together.

Disadvantages: Only outdoor seating, which can get uncomfortably hot during the summer.  Busy due to its proximity between the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster.   Food isn’t consistently good.

Value: Varying.  On the Dining Plan, the $14 barbecue plates would be a good value.  Otherwise, most of the food is standard Disney pricing, quality, and portion size.  There’s just a larger variety of options in one centralized location.

Reputation: Hollywood Studios is not known for its counter service options and this spot is no different.  The pizzas at Catalina Eddie’s aren’t particularly good.  Rosie’s, with its burgers and chicken nuggets, isn’t anything special.  A lot of people won’t go near one of those monster turkey legs.  You can’t get McDonalds’ fries anymore either.  On the positive side, there are a lot of different choices and the food won’t be much better anywhere else at the Hollywood Studios.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 3rd out of 6

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Starring Rolls Cafe Quick Service Review at Disney

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how Starring Rolls Cafe stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Breakfast until 11am, sandwiches after that

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $9-$10 for lunch or dinner, $1-$6 for breakfast

Unique Items: The quality of the sandwiches is superior to anything else found at Hollywood Studios.  They offer a Black Forest Ham, Turkey Foccacia, and a Whole Wheat Veggie Pita for lunch.  A variety of pastries and other goodies you won’t find at most places.

Advantages: A great stop to use a snack credit as they have a variety of tasty treats including Butterfinger cupcakes and a variety of cheesecakes for less than $4.  The sandwiches for lunch are large, fresh, and taste good.  This is probably your best bet for breakfast as well, with cinnamon rolls and fresh bagels.  The vegetarian options are good as well.

Disadvantages: They sell out of the sandwiches fairly early in the day.  You’re much more likely to find one for lunch before 4pm.  The layout can be confusing.  The pastries are self serve and there are a number of different cases to look through.  This can make it difficult to get an idea of what’s available when it’s busy.  There is limited seating.

Value: Above average.  At $9 the sandwiches are expensive, but if you add a dessert it should be plenty for two to share.  On the Dining Plan you can get a sandwich, bag of chips, drink, and dessert which would normally run about $17 or more which makes this a great value.

Reputation: This is your best bet at Hollywood Studios and it stands out even more because most of the other dining options are so terrible.  The desserts are divine and the sandwiches are excellent.  Starring Rolls is also great for breakfast or a snack.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 1st out of 6

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Studio Catering Company Review at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how Studio Catering Company stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Pulled Pork Sub, Salads, Grilled Chicken, Chili Hot Dog, Chicken Caesar Wrap

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $7-$9

Unique Items: Nothing

Advantages: The pulled pork sandwich and Caesar wrap are both good.  The seating area is large and covered, but outside.

Disadvantages: An extremely limited menu with only about five entrées and two desserts at any given time.  Portions smaller than other counter services.

Value: Average.  Average food at average prices.

Reputation: Not much to say about this one.  Overall, it’s underwhelming in just about every way possible.  The menu is limited, the location isn’t anything to write home about, and the food is average at best.  This is a decent stop for a quick meal if you’re in the area, but I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to end up here.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 4th out of 6

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Toy Story Pizza Planet Review at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

by josh on March 12, 2010

Wondering how Toy Story Pizza Planet stacks up against the other Hollywood Studios Counter Service Locations? Check out The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations for a comparison of the six Hollywood Studios counter services in a variety of categories including Most Unique Menu, Best Value on the Disney Dining Plan, Best Value Out of Pocket, Best Seating, Best Food, and Best Overall Counter Service.

Food Type: Pizza and salads

Dining Plan: One Quick Service or One Snack

Cost: Entrées: $6-$9

Unique Items: None

Advantages: Fun atmosphere with plenty of arcade games, bright colors, and Toy Story theming.  Pizza is usually fresh out of the oven.  Salads are crisp with plenty of dressing options.  There is additional seating upstairs which tends to be quieter.

Disadvantages: Extremely noisy downstairs and limited seating outside.  Not the best pizza you’ve ever had.  May close as early as 6pm so make sure you check the schedule.  Arcade games are expensive.  If you give your kids $5 in quarters, chances are they’ll be back for more in about 3 minutes.

Value: Above average.  Pizzas are around $6 and should be plenty to fill most people up.  On the Dining Plan you can get a pizza, salad, dessert, and drink which would cost around $13.50, making this one of the less expensive meals.

Reputation: Face it.  If your kids find out there’s a “Pizza Planet” at Disney World then you’ll be eating here whether you want to or not.  Luckily, the pizzas are pretty good and they’re baked fresh as quickly as people can order them.  The Pizza Planet in Hollywood Studios is not nearly as fun as the restaurant from the movies, but it does have a Toy Story feel and kids probably won’t mind once they get glued to a video game or a pizza is placed in front of them.  Pizza Planet is probably the second best counter service choice at Hollywood Studios, behind Starring Rolls, and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a pizza and a fun atmosphere.

Overall Rank on The Best Hollywood Studios Quick Counter Service Locations: 2nd out of 6

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